Plunger valve



May 24, 1927.

' Original Filed Nov.

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j UNITED STATES,

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PLUNGER VALVE.

Application filed November 1a, 1926, Serial No. 424,855. Renewed m a, 1925.

My invention relates to pres'sure or hydraulically erated plunger valves comprising, substantlally, a body and an open ended cylinder having a water. way between them, and a plunger of which the nose co-operates with the body a's a seat and which along with the c linder, is shaped to provide cylindrical an annular chambers in respect to which pressure is admitted and exhausted to o n and close the plunger.

Th: object of this invention is to provide a simple and reliable mechanism for opening and closing such valves with a controlled v 1 motion, the characteristics of which may be 4 varied atwill by the operator and which automatically (applies to the valve plunger all or any-part of. the available-hydraulic -force 'which it may be necessary to apply in 'order to move the plunger; In other words, if the valve is clean and the plunger.

moves easily, the force applied is small, but --if theva-lve'becomes foul or in any way ob- "Rs trueted," the .force applied vvto move. the plunger is automaticallylincreased up to the maximum force of which the valve is capable.

omma- 5d ith"lprecision and there is no chance of the plunger moving erratically or overtraveling', such tendencies being 'auto,- mati cally lcor re cted by, the control mechanisin. 4+.

i control mechanism the- 'valve- -'may forexample be 7 cracked open I j. valve maythen be opened' further' at a rapid IT-Q11 the other1;hand,iin closing, the' valve unay be closed rapidly [to point where; the'flow in'thele pipe'linefis being'reducedby the throttling actionfofthevalve and thera'te of closing may -.'then balance of the closingfstrokemade-at a: lower r rdeftqjp eiel w te h mmer o undue pressure r1se {mi the p1pel1ne J I;

In f addition] to v 7 advantages the ,plunger {may be held withladzuracy' at intermediate positions' and? thus a valve '[so equipped Qmay for regulating the f flow n avconduit pr;for/discharginga jet 0f water againstiatmospheric pressure,the

amount- 1. of ya'lve opening determining the p quant ty d cha d rfAt fthefsame time, the'rate ofmo'vement is;

v I of the plunger. Every htly and held" stationary vin that %or thelpurpos'e of filling orprimingbe reduced and. ,i the The valve ponsists of a body 1 having an internal cylinder 2 connected to the body by radial ribs 2, and forming between them a water way 3, The internal cylinder 2 is closed'at one end and contains a plunger 4 which is of differential form, thus providing a cylindrical operating chamber 5 and an annular operating chamber 6L The plunger '4 is moved by alternately admitting pressure to and exhausting pressurefromchambers 5 and 6 in a manner familiarin the art.. Annular chamber 6 is connected by a passage '7 to a circular valve housing 8 having a circumferential port 9, the eiihaust through a i which is controlled by a cylindrical sleeve valvelO, which also controls the exhaust through circumferential ports 11 in the housing 8., -Housing 8 is connected to i plunger 4 by a spacer 12 attached to plunger 4. 1

.- Hous1iig8 has a tubular extension' 13 tele-.

scoping with a similar stationary tube'l l and communicating thereto at all positions,

A worm gear housing 15 is connected to the I closed end of the internal'cylinde'r '2 and Valveilfl'is keyed a, housing-8 by key or ifea'thenand slot connection 10*,311 such. man- :net' as to permit ventf rotation-:1

axial movement but to pre v 'f-FWoi-m wheel 16 meshes'with onop- 1 eratingfst'em 18 which passes through the of the valve concentrically *with exhaust *port 19. Stem 18 is operated in the usual v manner bysome form of hand mechanism lofi such "as the'stand and hand wheel 20. It is obvious, however, that electrical, hydraulic,

oriother form of power may be used for this urpose.

tube 14 is attached to thishousing. L-Housing V 515 contains a worm wheel 16which rotates in bearingsprovided in 15, but which is 'ree vented from moving in an axial-directlon.

When stem 18 i rotated lit i ta er worm 16 whichmoves valve 10 in an axial direction and uncovers one or the other of ports 9 and 11. The length of valve 10, however, is such that when one port is open the other is necessarily closed.

To close plunger 4, stem 18 is' revolved in the necessary direction to move valve 10 to the right. Valve 10 first closes port 11 and then opens port 9. This exhaust-s pressure from annular chamber 6 through passage 7, tubes 13 and 14, passages 21, housing 15 and exhaust port 19 to the atmosphere or some region of lower pressure. The reduction of pressure in annular chamber 6 moves plunger 4 to the right, thus tending to close port 9 and the movement of plunger 4 will cease unless valve 10 is further moved to the right. It will thus be seen that plunger 4 can move no faster than valve 10 because any movement in this direction of plunger 4 relative to valve 10 tends first to cut off port 9 restoring pressure in chamber 6 and then if further continued, to open port 11 dropping pressure in chamber 5 and actually reversing the motion of the plunger 4.

-To open plunger 4, valve 10 is moved to the left first closing port 9 and then opening 011: 11 which exhausts pressure from chamber 5 which in turn causes plunger 4 to move to the left and follow the motion of valve 10.. The motion of plunger 4 automatically tends'to out 01f port 11 and itcis thus clear that plunger 4 can move no faster than valve 10. I

It is a characteristic ofthis design that any motion of plunger 4 relative to valve 10 tends automatically to correct itself.

When plunger 4 is being closed by ex-- hausting chamber 6, pressure is supplied to chamber 5 through port 22. When plunger 4 is beingopened by exhausting chamber 5, pressure is supplied to chamber 6 b leakage t-hrough'the fit 23 around the p unger Port 22 is considerably smaller in area than port 11 and therefore the pressure may be exhausted from chamber 5 notwithstanding the fact that it is at the same time entering through port 22.

The only points at which leakage may take place in the control mechanism are through the clearance between valve 10 and housing 8 and through the clearance between tubes 13 and 14. If this leakage is objectionable it may be cut ofi when the plunger 4 is either openor closed, by providing a. shut-off valve 24 in the exhaust passage 19. This valve would then normally be closed and be opened only when it was required to open or close plunger 4, and

after completing this operation valve 24 would be closed again.

Fig. 2 shows an alternative means of moving valve 10. Hand gear 20, stem 18, worm nut 16, and thethreads or rod 17, are omitted and a piston 25, is atta hfid to rod 17,

wages:

Valve 10 is then operated by alternately admitting and exhausting pipe line pressure to and from the two ends of cylinder 15 by means of pipes 26'and 27 leading outside of body 1.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modification may be made in details of construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention which is not limited to such matters or otherwise than as the prior art and the appended claims may require.

1 claim:

1. In a plunger valve having a body, a cylinder between which and the body there is provided a water way, a plunger arranged in the cylinder and cooperating with the nections, and in combination therewith'controlling mechanism consisting of an exhaust valve hous ng mounted in and movable with the plunger and provided with spaced exhaust ports to the annular and to the cylindrical chambers, an exhaust connection from the exhaust valve housing to the exterior of the body and including a substantially radial element and an axial element arranged in the c linder and consisting of telescopically sli ing tubes, an exhaust valve for covering one and uncovering the other of said ports, and mechanism arranged in said exhaust element for shifting the exhaust valve in respect to its housing, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a conduit casing having a fixed internal body and a contracting portion forming a valve seat, of a plunger cooperatin with said seat and shaped to form wit said body a plurality of fluid pressure chambers, and means for .controlling the fluid pressures in all of said chambers comprising a valve means within said body and plunger adapted to separately control fluid pressure connections to said chambers in all positions ofthe plunger.

3. The combination with a conduit casing having a fixed internal body and a contracting portion forming a valve seatfof a plunger cooperating with said seat and shaped to form with said body a plurality of fluid pressure chambers, and means for controlling the fiuid pressures in all of said chambers comprising a valve means within said body and plunger adapted to sepa-, rately control fluid pressure connections of saidchambers to a single fluid conduit in all positions of the plunger.

4. The combination with a conduit casing having a fixed internal body and a 0011- tracting portion forming. a valve seat, :of

a plunger cooperating with said seat andshaped to form with said body a plurality of fluid pressure chambers, and means {for-controlling the fluid pressures .in all of said chambers" comprising a valve means within I cylinder between which and the body there is provided a water way, a plunger arranged '10 said body andplunger adapted to separately control fluid ressure connections ofsaid chambers to a single exhaust fluid conduit in all positions of the plunger. 7

5. In a plunger valve having a body, -1-

in the cylinder and cooperating with the body as a seat, cylindrical and annular chambers interposed between the cylinder .and plunger and each having fluid pressure the valve and adapted to exhaust the cylindrical and'the annular chambers, and meconnections, and in combination therewith an exhaust valve mechanlsm arranged 1n chanical means for operating .said. mechanism from the exterior of the valve body.

6. In a plunger valve having a'body, a'

' cylinder between which and the body there is provided a water way, a plunger ar ranged in the cylinderand co-operating with the body as a seat, cylindrical and annular chambers interposed between the cylinder and plunger and each having fluid pressure connections. and in combination therewith an exhaust valve housing carried by the plunger and ported to the cylindrical and to the annular chambers and provided with a tube, a worm gear housing carried by the cylinder and provided with atube overlapping the first mentioned tube and with an exhaust. passage to the exterior of the valve body, an exhaust-valve'co operating with said housing and having its'spindle arranged in saidtube's, a worm nut in said worm gear housing for said spindle, a worm shaft, in

l saidexhaust passage, and a valve for clos'- ,ing the exhaust passage. v v 7. In a plungervalve havmg a body, a

- cylinder between which and the body there is provided a water way, a plunger arranged in the cylinder and co-operating with the body as a seat, cylindrical and annular chambers u interposed between the cylinder and plunger and each having fluid pressure connections,

and in. combination therewithan exhaust valvehousing carried by the plungerl and r ported to the cylindrical and to the-annular chambers and provided with a tube, a'gear flhousing carried by the cylinder and pro vided with aztube overlapping the. first menftloned' tube and with an exhaust passage to cylinder betweenwhich and the body there s provided a water Way)! plunger arranged the cylinder and co-operating with the 65 having its .spindlearranged in said 'tubes, a worm .nut said worm gear housing for said spindle," and-a worm-shaft insaid ex- .haust passage.

the exterior -ofthe valve body, an exhaust valve e'o-operatmg' with said housing and;

nu plunger valve having a body, a

dy as a seat, cylindrical and annular cham- :port and a passage from said annular port to the annular chamber and also-having a scribed.

, shaped to form with said to said chambers and acting to automatically .desired set position of said valve means. I

,valve means within said conduitcasing 'conbers interposed between. the cylinder and plunger and each having fluid pressure connections, and in combination therewith "an exhaust valve housing mounted in, andcarried by the plunger and having an annular port to the cylindrical chamber and a pas sage to the outside of the'valve body, an ex haustsleeve valve for covering one and un-' covering the other of said ports and adapted to exhaust through said passage, and means accessible from the exterior of the valve body for adjusting the exhaust valve in respect to: a fixed part of the bpdv, substantially as de-fl 9. The combination with a conduit casing. havmg a fixed internal body and a contracting portion forming a valve seat, of a I I plunger cooperating with said seat' and shaped to form with said body a plurality offiuid pressure chambers, and means for controlling the fluid pressures in all of saidif j chambers comprisi ng a valve means carried within said conduit casing adapted tosepa- .rately control fluid pressure connections to adjustthe relative pressures in said charm", 'f bers to balance and hold said plunger in any 11. The combination with a conduit casing having a fixed internal body and a contract ing portion forming a valve seat, of a plunger cooperating with said seat and shaped to form with said body a pairof fluid pressure chambers, connections from x. .7

said chambersv to a pair ofvalve portsand trolling said ports and acting tourestrict one 1 15 port while opening theother, movement of the plunger automatically f adjusting said! valve with relation-to said portsto hydrau .lically balance said'plunge'r at any desired-W openingaccording'to the set. position valve.

12. The combination with aconduit cas ng having a fixed internal body'alidlacontrad' Tingi-portion forming a valve" .seat ofja plunger cooperating with'isaid .seatzand shaped to form with said body a pair of fluid pressure chambers, an exhaust ressure; con nection, openings from both-o saidcham hers to Said connection, and-a sin le valve; means within said conduit ca ng apt'edto restrict one of said openings while widening the other so as to automatically hydraulically balance said plunger in set position.

13. In a flow control system an outer con duit casing and inner fixed member forming a fluid way between them, a hollow sliding plunger element forming with said fixed member a cylindrical chamber and an annular chamber, means whereby one of said chambers is for opening and the other for closing the plunger, means to connect both chambers to exhaust including a longitudinally movable exhaust valve member within said cylindrical chamber common to the control of exhaust from both chambers, and means for operating said valve member from outside of said conduit to control the pressure in said cylindrical chamber.

14. In a flow control system an outer conduit casing and inner'fixed member forming a fluid way between them, a hollow sliding plunger element forming with vsaid fixed member a cylindrical chamber and an annular chamber, common means to connect both chambers to exhaust outside of the conduit including a longitudinally movable exhaust valve member within said cylindrical chamber, and means for operating said valve member from outside of said conduit to control the pressure in said cylindrical chamber.

15. In a flow control system an outer conduit casing and inner fixed member forming a fluid way between them,.a hollow sliding plunger element forming with said fixed member a cylindrical chamber and an annular chamber, a longitudinally movable exhaust valve member within said cylindrical chamber directly controlling fluid flow from both of said chambers, and means for operating said valve member from outside of said conduit to control the pressure in said cylmdricaland annular chambers, and means for closing the exhaust connection when theplunger is open.

16. In a valve structure an outer conduit casing and inner fixed member form ng a fluid way between them, a hollow slldable plunger member forming with said fixed member a cylindrical chamber and an annular chamber, a passage carried by sa d plunger and extending inward from sald annular chamber and having communication with a valve opening, a valve for controlling said opening and meansfor operating said valve from outside of said conduit.

17. In a valvestructure an outer conduit casing and inner fixed member forming a fluid way between them, a hollow slidable plun er member forming-with said fixed mem r a cylindrical chamber and an annular chamber, a passage carried by said plunger and extending inward from said annular chamber and having commumcation with a valve opening, a valve ha ited 10st motion connect on m a. limsaid plunger for controlling said opening and means for operating said valve from outside of said conduit.

18. In a valve structure an outer conduit casing and an inner fixed member formin a fluid way between them, a hollow slidaIile plunger member forming a cylindrical operating chamber with said fixed member, a second operating chamber, a control valve means comprising a control connection extending outside of the conduit, and having valve openings movable with said plunger and communicating with said chambers, a valve having a los! motion connection to said plunger and controlling said opening, and means for operating said valve from outside of the conduit.

19. In a valve structure an outer conduit casing and an inner fixed member forming a fluid way between them, a hollow slidable plunger member forming a cylindrical chamber with said fixed member, means forming a second chamber for controlling plunger movement, a control valve means comprising a control connection extending outside of the conduit, and havinga valve opening movable with said plunger, a valve having a lost motion connection to said plunger and controlling said opening, and means for operating said .valve from outside of the conduit, said control connection comprising a telescopic coupling between relatively fixed and movable parts and adapted to have direct communication with each of said chambers.

20. In .a valve structure an outer conduit casing and an innerfixed member forming a fluid way between them, a hollow slidable plunger member forming a cylindrical chamher with said fixed member, a second chamber forcontrolling plunger movement, an is; exhaust valve'means comprising an exhaust connection extending outside of the conduit, and having valve openings movable with said plungerand alternatively connectible with said chambers, a valve having a lost no motion connection to said plunger and controlling said opening, and means for operating said valve from outside of the conduit.

21. In a valve structure an outer conduit casing and an inner fixed member forming 11 a fluid way between them, a hollow slidable lunger member forming acylindrical chamber with said fixed member, a second chamber for controlling plunger movement, an exhaust valve means comprising an ex- 120 haust connection extending outside of the conduit, and having valve openings movable with said plunger, a valve having a lost motion connection to said plunger and alternatively controlling said openings, and 125 means for operating said valve from outside 7 of the conduit, said exhaust connection comprising a telescopic coupling between relatively fixed and movable parts. I

22. In a v lve structure, n outer condui casing, an inner fixed member spaced therefrom so as to form a fluid way therebetwcen, a plunger slidably carried by said inner member, and means forming piston and cylinder elements, including opening and closing chambers for controlling plunger movement in opposite directions said elements being disposed within said inner member, means forming passages leading from each of said chambers to a point of exhaust, and means also disposed within said inner member forcontrolling directly fluid flow from said chainbers through said passages. v

23. In a valve structure,an outer conduit casing, an inner fixed member spaced therefrom so as to form a fluid way therebetween,

a plunger slidably carried by said inner member, and means forming piston and cylinder elements, including opening and closing chambers for controlling plunger movement in opposite directions, said elements being disposed Within said inner member, means forming passages leading from each of said chambers to a point of exhaust, and means also disposed within said inner member for controlling directly fluid flow from said chambers through said passages, said latter means including a plurality of ports and a valve axially disposed to said elements and longitudinally movable to control alternatively said ports.

CHESTER W.-LARNER. 

